CUT-THE-CABLE.COM

April 8, 2011

Comcast Customer Guarantee = Empty Promise

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 11:24 am
As we all know, COMCAST’s abysmal customer service has been their trademark for as far back as we can remember.  Because of their virtual monopoly in most markets, they have arrogantly thumbed their nose at their customers with a tacit dare to try and ween themselves off of the ‘Cable Crack’ they deal out.  But as [...]

As we all know, COMCAST’s abysmal customer service has been their trademark for as far back as we can remember.  Because of their virtual monopoly in most markets, they have arrogantly thumbed their nose at their customers with a tacit dare to try and ween themselves off of the ‘Cable Crack’ they deal out.  But as with all things, change has forced Comcast to change.  Change in the economy, change in the competition, and change in technology are just a few of the factors that are causing Comcast to change…THEIR TACTICS.

The Real Comcast Guarantee

Here is the new Comcast Customer Guarantee which on the surface makes it look like they are going to actually improve their customer service, but before we get ahead of ourselves let’s take a look at what is really going on.

MEDIA BLITZ

The current ad campaign by Comcast promoting their so-called Customer Guarantee is the first time that Comcast has acknowledged to their customers and prospects that they have a problem with customer service and that they intend to address it.  But with the untold millions of dollars being pumped into these ads, is the focus really on customer service or merely an attitude within Comcast management which says ‘there are no problems, just opportunities’?  If their history is any indication of what to expect, then you will see 10% of their improvement budget going into actual improvements, and the other 90% going into marketing the so-called improvements.  So where is the beef?

What is a Guarantee?

Here is a quick list of attributes of a guarantee from the good folks at DifferenceBetween.com :

1. A guarantee is always free.
2. The guarantee is a commitment to make good defects of a product or a service in a fixed period.
3. A guarantee is a legal contract without any payment.
4. A guarantee is an addition to the legal consumer rights.

So as we can see from the definition, a guarantee is a legal contract to make things right within a fixed period of time.  What Comcast is calling a Customer Guarantee is actually a Service Guarantee since they are providing a service, not a physical product.  A Service Guarantee is defined In Wikipedia as “a marketing tool service firms have increasingly been using to reduce consumer risk perceptions, signal quality, differentiate a service offering, and to institutionalize and professionalize their internal management of customer complaint and service recovery.”  The key phrase is MARKETING TOOL.

What Exactly does Comcast Guarantee?

Here are the Comcast guarantees from their website as of 4/8/11.  We’ll see how it evolves over time.

We will give you a 30-day, money-back guarantee on all our services.

If you’re not satisfied and wish to cancel service for any reason, you can do so in the first 30 days and get your money back. Simply return all equipment in good working order and we’ll refund the monthly recurring fee for your first 30 days of service and any charges you paid for standard installation.

This is the only guarantee with any meat behind it.  You will get back the money you spent for MONTHLY RECURRING FEES and STANDARD INSTALLATION if you cancel within 30-days.  Questions you should be asking yourself are:

- What other money have I paid that I will not be getting back?  Taxes? One-Time Charges? Regulatory Fees?

- When does the clock start ticking for the 30-day period?

- What kind of stalling tactics will Comcast use to delay the equipment returns that will cause you to go over the 30-day period?

We will treat you and your home with courtesy and respect.

Our technicians will display their Comcast identification clearly when they arrive at your home. They will be trained and equipped to complete the job on the first visit. Our Customer Account Executives will be courteous and knowledgeable when you contact us.

This is marketing fluff.  Courtesy and respect are terms that are intangible, relative, and subject to interpretation.  No beef at all.  As we’ve seen from the Houston Comcast Rapist post, Comcast uses contractors that are not on their payroll as technicians that enter your home, so even if their ID badge says Comcast, that is no guarantee that Comcast has had any direct involvement in technical assessments of background checks of these individuals.  Now, their Customer Account Executives (otherwise known as Minimum Wage Call Center Operators) may actually be Comcast employees and they may actually be knowledgeable about where to go to get your nails done or, get a tattoo on your lower back or, learn English as a 2nd language.

We will answer your questions at your convenience.

You can contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regarding any service-related issue by calling 1-800-COMCAST or in any of the following ways:

  • Online, via Ask Comcast
  • Live Chat online with a Comcast Technician
  • Online community forum
  • Send us an e-mail and receive a response within 24 hours

They guarantee to give you not one, but FOUR different ways to contact them around the clock and be placed on hold only to have your calls dropped numerous times and then finally get someone that will be happy to politely tell you to reboot your router and it that doesn’t work they’ll schedule someone to come out, but only if you agree to pay a service fee if they determine that the fault is not theirs.

We will offer easy-to-understand packages and provide you with a clear bill.

Our packages are designed to be straightforward. A call or visit to our website makes it easy to find a package that’s right for you. We aim for the same clarity with our bills. You may view your monthly statement and service details anytime by visiting www.comcast.com.

More marketing fluff.  Easy-to-understand?  Clear?  Maybe what they are trying to say is that if you have 20/20 vision you should be able to read these things without any problem.  Now trying to decipher a Comcast bill is another issue entirely.

We will continually offer the best and most video choices.

We’re working hard to bring more choices to our customers instantaneously by using the full power of our advanced network and decades of television experience. We will use On Demand to bring customers dramatically more content choices, including more movies, more sports, more kids programs, more network TV shows and more HD than anyone else.

Look for this one to change folks.  I can’t imagine that Comcast’s competitors will allow them to get away with verbiage like ‘BEST’ and ‘MOST’ for too long, especially when it is found to be not true.

We will quickly address any problem you experience.

After the first visit to your home, if we do not satisfactorily complete installation or can’t resolve a routine issue, we will extend a complimentary service to your account. Additionally, we won’t charge you for a service visit that results from a Comcast equipment or network problem.

After the complementary service, if things still don’t work then SCREW YOU, your 30-days are probably over by now…and so is the complementary service (-;

We will schedule appointments at your convenience and be mindful of your time.

As a courtesy, we will call you before we arrive at your home. And if we fail to arrive for a scheduled visit during the appointment window, we will credit $20 to your account.*

*Subject to any local restrictions or requirements.

In other words, if the technician doesn’t show up in the FOUR HOUR service window you’ve been given between let’s say 1pm and 5pm (which incidentally required you to take off 1/2 day of work to be at home to let them in), then they will credit your account with $20 (which values your time at less that $5/hr factoring in your commute time).  ***but only if local restrictions allow them to because there’s no telling what kind of under-the-table deals have been made with the local politicians.  But don’t worry about Comcast losing any money because I’m sure that if they have to credit your account by $20, then they will fine their contractors that did not show up by $50, thus making money again off of the pain and misery of their customers.

December 29, 2010

Who is Comcast, Really?

Filed under: Insider Stuff,Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 9:47 pm
Here is some information about Comcast from the Columbia Journalism Review that I thought you might find interesting.  Each of these entities that most people probably think stand on their own are actually OWNED by Comcast.  The list shown here is current as of 12/24/10 per CJR (which does not include the imminent NBC Universal addition) [...]

Here is some information about Comcast from the Columbia Journalism Review that I thought you might find interesting.  Each of these entities that most people probably think stand on their own are actually OWNED by Comcast.  The list shown here is current as of 12/24/10 per CJR (which does not include the imminent NBC Universal addition)

  • Cable
    Comcast Sports Group
    CSS
    The Comcast Network
    Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
    Comcast SportsNet California
    Comcast SportsNet Chicago
    Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
    Comcast SportsNet New England
    Comcast SportsNet Northwest
    Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
    Comcast Sports Southwest
    Mountain Sports Network
    New England Cable News
    SNY
    E! Entertainment Television
    Exercise TV
    G4
    Golf Channel
    PBS KIDS Sprout
    The Style Network
    TV One
    Versus
  • Online Properties and Interactive Media
    Comcast.net
    DailyCandy
    Fandango
    the Platform
    Plaxo
  • Communications
    Comcast Digital Cable
    Comcast XFINITY TV
    Comcast High-Speed Internet
    Comcast Digital Voice
    Comcast Internet 2go
    Comcast Business Class
  • Sports Management
    Comcast-Spectator
    Philadelphia 76ers
    Philadelphia Flyers
    Flyers Skate Zone
    Front Row Marketing Services
    Global Spectrum (Public Assembly Management)
    New Era Tickets (comcastTix)
    Ovations Food Services
    Wells Fargo Center
  • Other
    Comcast Spotlight

So remember the next time you are paying your Comcast bill that it goes to support the underprivilaged families of Philidelphia 76ers Basketball players as well as a host of other poor families who can tell you first hand that a 7-figure paycheck doesn’t go as far as it used to.

October 11, 2010

Inherent Flaws in Cable TV Business Model

Filed under: Bully Tactics,CMCSK,In the News,Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:12 am
If you have been watching any television at all for the last few weeks, you have most likely been inundated by the media blitz spawned by the FOX NETWORKS GROUP.  They are raising awareness within the viewing public that DISH NETWORK has discontinued carrying some of their stations as of Oct 1, 2010 and will [...]

If you have been watching any television at all for the last few weeks, you have most likely been inundated by the media blitz spawned by the FOX NETWORKS GROUP.  They are raising awareness within the viewing public that DISH NETWORK has discontinued carrying some of their stations as of Oct 1, 2010 and will most likely drop the balance of the stations on Nov 1, 2010.  FOX has created a web site called GETWHATIPAIDFOR.COM in order to provide the public with details from their perspective regarding what the problems are and how the public can get involved.

This is not the first time this type of thing has happened nor will it be the last.  It is not a problem with FOX or DISH.  It is a problem with the Cable Television Business Model and it affects all of the cable services providers, the stations that are carried by those providers, but ultimately it is the consumer that pays the price in higher fees and programming disruptions.

It happened back in March ’09 when Comcast held Portland Basketball Fans hostage by raising the rates of games being broadcast to all carriers, and just days later when Comcast pulled MSNBC from the Portland lineup.  These are just a few examples, but as you can see it is nothing new and the occurrences are getting more frequent and having a larger impact on the general public.

The Federal Communications Commission is the regulating body for the television, telephone, radio, and other related industries.  They make and enforce the rules and are supposed to look after the public’s best interests.  If you have any problems with your cable or satellite company and can’t get any satisfaction, then these are the guys you need to go to.

Just a little over a year ago, we proposed our vision of how the cable TV industry SHOULD operate if the best interest of the public were of primary concern.  Let me reiterate the key points so that everyone {including our friends at the FCC} can comment:

  1. Cable/Satellite TV companies SHOULD NOT be providing content, or getting into the telephone business, or Internet business, or any other business.  If they do they are creating a conflict of interest and detracting resources from their primary product.  If they want to get into other things, than spin off a new company rather than have CATV subscribers finance your ventures and receive sub-standard services while doing so.
  2. If their mission can be narrowed down to nothing more than transporting 3rd party stations to households, then they can be treated the same as a public utility companies and regulated by those governing bodies.  Put metered usage in place and mandate an ‘a la carte’ option for customers.  This will stop the speculation regarding what a channels worth is in terms of viewership.
  3. Most importantly, CHANGE THE REVENUE STREAM.  The current business model has the consumer paying the cable company and the cable company paying the content providers and the advertisers paying the content providers.  This is insanity!  It is the reason for cable companies dropping channels that demand price increases, and the reason that there are so many GARBAGE CHANNELS in a typical lineup that never get watched.  Here are some simple changes that are in the best interest of the public:
  • Content providers should be paying the cable companies to carry them based upon bandwidth consumption…not the other way around.  Bandwidth is a commodity and rates should be on a flat schedule based on usage regardless of the perceived value of the content;
  • Commercial channels (ones that have revenue generating advertisements) should be provided free of charge to cable customer;
  • Premium channels (no advertisements) should be made available to cable customers on an ‘a la carte’ basis so that the market can determine what the true value is of any channel.

I can go on & on (and I will, I promise), but I think you get my drift.  In the mean time, let’s get back to the matter at hand.  I have extracted the Q&A section from the GETWHATIPAIDFOR.COM site so I can give you my standard ‘smart-ass’ diatribe.

[Supposed] FACTS ABOUT FOX’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH DISH

Myth: Fox is seeking a 50 percent increase in programming fees for FX, National Geographic Channel, and our 19 regional sports networks. [Keep in mind as you read on that these are all CABLE STATIONS mentioned here, not their broadcast channels that are available over the air.  FOX will be arguing the point for BROADCAST STATIONS later in an attempt to confuse the issues]

Fact: We are not seeking a 50 percent increase [great, so why not tell us what the actual increase is that you are seeking?  49.99% ???] for FX, National Geographic Channel, and our 19 regional sports networks. And we are not asking you for any more money. [Of course you're not...BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC!!!  You must think we are all stupid if you are going to put a statement like that in there and think you wont get called out on it] We are simply asking DISH to compensate us fairly out of their massive profits for Fox’s entertainment and sports programming services they sell to their subscribers. [...and FOX will define what is 'fair', right?] We have made what we believe are fair and reasonable proposals to DISH – ones that are consistent with our agreements with the hundreds of other cable and satellite companies with whom DISH competes for your business. To date, DISH has not responded with a proposal that is reasonable by comparison to the hundreds of other deals we have in place for these same channels.  [And the bottom line is that the public ends up suffering]

Myth: If programmers did not ask for fair compensation for their television networks, consumers’ rates for cable and satellite services would be lower.

Fact: TV Providers have been raising rates on consumers for years and consumers have been paying for broadcast programming that is available free over the air. [That was when everything was analog and cable/satellite reception was better than over-the-air, but now that everything is DIGITAL more and more people have discovered that they get BETTER quality from FREE OVER-THE-AIR TV and have CUT-THE-CABLE] In good economic times, rates have gone up. In the recent recession, rates have still gone up. Even if Fox does not receive fair compensation for its content, it is entirely likely that your bill will still go up.  [But basically what you call a Myth is really TRUE because if cable companies didn't have to pay for programming, then there's no way that they could justify charging more than 20% of their current rates]

Myth: If TV Providers like DISH Network pay fair value for the programming provided by broadcasters and other content providers, it will “force” them to raise fees for consumers.

Fact: DISH Network is a successful, profitable business (thanks in part to the money they already charge subscribers for free, over-the-air broadcast programming). It can surely afford to fairly compensate broadcasters for that content without raising rates. Just how profitable is DISH Network?  [Once again the so-called Myth is a FACT because if ANY cost increases are not passed on to the consumers, then it necessarily has to come out of their profit margin.  The corporate executives responsible for that decision would have to answer to angry stockholders.  The only way around this BUSINESS FACT is Regulation]

DISH Network may advertise itself as a low price provider, but that still hasn’t stopped them from posting exceedingly high profits. As of August 2010, DISH Network is on pace to profit nearly $2 billion for the year or more than 40 percent more than they did in 2009. From January-June 2010, DISH Network generated more than $6 billion in revenue from subscribers and is on track to significantly improve on the $11.5 billion it earned from subscribers in 2009. In the second quarter of 2010, DISH Network received nearly 50 percent more in revenue from each subscriber than each such subscriber actually costs the operator. Overall in the most recent quarter, DISH Network posted a very healthy 25 percent profit margin.  [Unfortunately, FOX does not publish these same numbers for themselves to show us what 'reasonable' numbers look like in comparison.  If you think these DISH number look high, then have a look at these COMCAST Revenue and Profit figures!!!]

Myth: The compensation programmers like FOX are seeking is “exorbitant” and “unreasonable.” [ABSOLUTELY!  Why is FOX any different than ABC, NBC, and CBS who can transmit their programming to the public over the air.  You get advertising dollars too, don't you?]

Fact: The compensation FOX is seeking for the FOX stations is entirely reasonable. Based on the comparable cost of programming, the Fox stations could charge $4-5 per subscriber per month [Hold the phone!  Did I just read that correctly?  FOX thinks that the average household is willing to pay $4 to $5 per month for their programming?  Once again, what makes them think they are so much better than ABC, CBS, and NBC that I would be willing to pay $50 to $60 per year for their programs?  YOU GUYS ARE SMOKING CRACK!], but we are asking for just a fraction of that. ESPN receives $4-5 per subscriber [that's to F$%^&ing HIGH!] and TNT gets $1 per subscriber [and if you don't have a DVR to filter through all of their advertising then you are missing 1/2 of your life], but spends about 80% less on programming than FOX [Whos fault is it that you are spending that much on programming?]. And if one looks at the ratings [otherwise known as BOGUS JACKED UP NUMBERS] FOX and its stations get relative to cable networks, the value would actually be closer to $10 per subscriber. [Dude!  You have to back off of the CRACK...PRONTO!] Moreover, FOX attracts more viewers than the five most expensive cable networks combined (ESPN, TNT, USA, ESPN2 and NFL Net). The bottom line is that the Fox stations feature some of the nation’s most-watched programming with shows such as American Idol, House, Glee, and The Simpsons, as well as the most compelling sports on television with the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and NASCAR. The price FOX is asking for as compensation for all this value is extremely reasonable.[...NOT, and BTW neither are the others you are using for comparison.  Wait, just one question...if you get the increases you are asking for does that mean that you can afford to pay PAULA ABDUL to come back on American Idol?]

Myth: Broadcasters like FOX are already receiving fair compensation for their programming. [Wrong again CRACK-HEAD.  And if you think it is a myth then charge more for advertising instead of trying to charge cable/satellite companies (which you know full well will be passed on to the consumer if it happens).  You and all of the other stations that get money from the carriers have done nothing more than INFLATE THE MARKETPLACE]

Fact: The broadcast television business is suffering because broadcast networks are competing on an uneven playing field with cable networks. Cable networks have two streams of revenue: advertising and fees paid by distributors. Broadcasters like FOX have the single stream of advertising, and TV providers have been charging subscribers for free, over-the-air broadcast programming. [and only regulation will put an end to that, or customers getting wise to the fact that DIGITAL Over-The-Air TV is better than cable or satellite] This has allowed cable networks like ESPN to get a leg up to purchase the rights to content like Monday Night Football and The BCS Championship Series – which means that tens of millions of Americans who can’t afford or choose not to subscribe to cable or satellite miss this event programming. [But if regulations were put in place to prevent premium channels from taking advertising revenue, then the playing field would be even again] The future of free, over-the-air broadcast programming requires broadcasters to compete on a level playing field – which means getting fair compensation from companies like DISH Network. [If customers want your broadcast channels they will hook up an antenna to their TV.  Now LAY OFF THE CRACK, and get on board with our proposed changes that would level the playing field for all networks (broadcast & cable) AND substantially reduce prices for the consumers at the same time]

May 14, 2010

Property Taxes Up 9.9% in Comcast Town

Filed under: Fubars,In the News,Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 6:05 pm
In the news, May 14, 2010 from NBCs Philadelphia affiliate: If you live in Philadelphia, higher property taxes and a fee for trash pickup may be two things you’ll pay for next year.  Philadelphia City Council approved Mayor Michael Nutter’s $3.9 billion budget for 2011 with a vote Thursday evening.  To fill in a $150 [...]

In the news, May 14, 2010 from NBCs Philadelphia affiliate:
If you live in Philadelphia, higher property taxes and a fee for trash pickup may be two things you’ll pay for next year.  Philadelphia City Council approved Mayor Michael Nutter’s $3.9 billion budget for 2011 with a vote Thursday evening.  To fill in a $150 million budget gap, officials made several tax increases, the most notable being a 9.9-percent jump in property taxes, officials told NBC Philadelphia. That increase will only last for two years [That's what they all say].  The 9.9 percent temporary tax hike has to get final approval from council next week.  Council also passed measures that will institute a new, yearly $300 fee for trash pickup from small businesses, duplexes and apartment buildings and a tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco.

Flash Back to November 2004

Comcast Center - Philly

Comcast was not able to get their new COMCAST CENTER at One Pennsylvania Plaza in Philadelphia designated as a Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone (KOZ) even though they had the support of Pennsylvania Governor Rendell.   The KOZ designation would have exempted tenants from most taxes for fifteen years as a way to encourage development in disadvantaged areas.  This ploy did not get past House Republicans in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.  However, later that year Governor Rendell released $30 million from the Redevelopment Assistance Budget to Liberty Property Trust. Through the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development, Comcast received $12.75 million that included a $4 million opportunity grant, $6.75 million in job creation tax credits, and $2 million in job training assistance. Despite their failure of receiving KOZ status, the project received $42.75 million in financial incentives from the state. [Hmmm, do you thing that Rendell owns any Comcast stock or just gets paid under the table?]

Jump forward to April 28th, 2010 (less than 1-month ago)

Comcast Corp (CMCSA) reports 4th quarter earnings.  Revenues are up 3.8% to $9,2 BILLION [with a capital "B" folks]. Comcast’s stock has risen around 12% this year but counterparts like Time Warner Cable and Cablevision have risen around 29% and 23 % respectively. [Translation: Comcast and the cable industry as a whole are robbing the public blind and are laughing all the way to the bank]

For those of you that have been following the bouncing ball, we have a clear illustration of some of the root causes of the  problems facing tax paying home owners in Philly today.

“A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship”  — Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee

August 7, 2009

Economy is Not Bad for Comcast

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 3:49 pm
As a result of raising rates and locking new customers into marketing schemes like $99/mo for a year (as if getting a deal), Comcast has reported a PROFIT INCREASE OF 53% on the backs of struggling consumers. Now add to that the new TV Everywhere pilot where they have PARTNERED WITH COMPETITORS Time Warner and now DirectTV.  [...]

As a result of raising rates and locking new customers into marketing schemes like $99/mo for a year (as if getting a deal), Comcast has reported a PROFIT INCREASE OF 53% on the backs of struggling consumers.

Now add to that the new TV Everywhere pilot where they have PARTNERED WITH COMPETITORS Time Warner and now DirectTV.  Then add to that Comcast’s own estimate of profits over 40% for WiMAX services later this year.

Do we have any GENUINE PROGRESSIVES out there that are Comcast subscribers?  I thought that this was the kind of CORPORATE EXCESS that you stood against…or is that only when it is convenient.

HAVE A NICE DAY smilyface2

August 3, 2009

Time for Some Hope & Change

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:42 pm
As this website continues to grow along with its following, I feel that it is time to expand and offer our own editorials.  Our readership has hit a threshold for us to begin to make a difference if we band together.  So if I may, let me start the ball rolling with my utopian vision of what [...]

As this website continues to grow along with its following, I feel that it is time to expand and offer our own editorials.  Our readership has hit a threshold for us to begin to make a difference if we band together.  So if I may, let me start the ball rolling with my utopian vision of what the cable industry SHOULD look like if the consumers best interest were of the primary concern.

Break the Business Units into Different Companies

Comcast and Time Warner both started as Cable TV companies.  Verizon and AT&T both began as essentially telephone companies.  Over time as the technology playing field evolved and these technologies converged, these companies are now all offering the same core services: CATV, Internet, and Telephone.  The one thing that all of these services have in common from the consumers standpoint is that little piece of coaxial cable that runs into their home.  If you look at that cable coming off of the telephone pole running in parallel with your power line, the common person has to ask the question: ”Why is it that the way I am treated as a POWER consumer is so different than the way I’m treated as a CABLE consumer?”  Believe it or not, the answer in my mind is a matter of mere politics.

Did you ever wonder how companies like AIG, GM, and other got so big that they were deemed “too big to be allowed to fail” by our own federal government?  It’s because these machines co-exist in a symbiotic relationship.  As long as the COMCASTs, AIGs, and GMs keep funneling huge sums of money in the forms of lobbying and political contributions (to both parties), there is no political incentive to break them down into manageable businesses.  And the only way that the cable industry can continue to afford to do this is if they continue to make obsene profits. 

If you recall during the Clinton years, Bill Gates and MICROSOFT did not pay the Clintons the “hommage” that they felt was due from such a wealthy company, and a 16-month epic anti-trust battle began with results being that Microsoft had deep enough pockets to outlast the Clinton reign.  The moral of that story is that the bigger a conglomerate gets, the harder it is for even the federal government to reign them in.  The fact of the matter is that these companies are setting policy, not your elected leaders.

My recommendation is that the federal governement update the FCC regulations to disallow CATV, Internet, and phone services to be offered by the same company.  The first thing that people will say is that you will then loose the economies of scale that come from packaging these services.  NONSENCE!  It wasn’t too long ago that through your local telephone provider you could select from any numbe of different long distance providers and still have that transparently incorporated into a single billing statement.  Therefore, there is absoluely no reason that the same consolidated services could not be offered to the consumers through a unified billing statment, for completely seperate companies.  The benefit to the consumer in doing this is that you will have choices for each component through your coax cable and not locked into a vertual monopoly, which then also contributes to the self-perpetuating machine.

Treat Cable Services as a Public Utility

The next step in my utopian vision is that cable services be treated in the same manner as any other public utility.  Let’s have a meter installed on the outside of the house.  It can be a SMART meter that doesn’t require someone to come out and read it once a month.  The technology is there for the information to be sent back to the cable company without having to send someone out.  Now, envision the option of paying for your CATV, Internet, and phone based on actual usage rather than a flat monthly fee!  That would completely change the landscape of how television content providers are compensated also.  If for example, HBO feels that their product is so superior to your local NBC affiliate, then let them get compensated based on actual viewership.  I guarentee that a lot of the old assumptions about the relative popularity of one station over another will be proven wrong.  I’m not saying that you have to do away completely with subscription pricing, but having a regulatory requirement in place that gives the consumers the option of metered usage can only benefit cable consumers as a whole.

Change the Revenue Stream

In the CATV world, the business model as it currently exists has the consumers paying the cable company for services, and the cable company paying the networks for content.  This model allows the various networks to raise their rates at will based on dubious ratings data, and the cost is then passed down to the consumers in the form of increased CATV rates.  I propose that this is OK for premium channels (ones that rely on content only without suplemental advertisements) which the consumer can select on an  “a la carte” basis, but that all other channels that carry ADVERTISEMENTS be carried by the cable companies on a purely speculative basis with 100% of their revenues coming from their advertisements.  These commercial station should pay the cable companies for the bandwidth capacity to deliver their signal to the consumers and not vice-versa

So there you have it folks, my ‘pie in the sky’ utopian vision.  Please pick it apart or add to it, and by all means send in your ideas.  Once we have enough of them we can put our heads together and start the petitioning process.  If you want to share without it being posted, just email me and we’ll discuss things off-line.

July 24, 2009

Fallout from the Cable Wars in Philly

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 8:50 am
Jim Smith of Elkins Park,PA gives his opinions in the Philidelphia Daily News of the cable battles that are occuring in his area. IS IT MY imagination or is every other commercial on TV (or radio or in newsprint) sponsored by one of the dueling monopolies, FiOS or Comcast?  It’s hard to believe that they can [...]

Jim Smith of Elkins Park,PA gives his opinions in the Philidelphia Daily News of the cable battles that are occuring in his area.

IS IT MY imagination or is every other commercial on TV (or radio or in newsprint) sponsored by one of the dueling monopolies, FiOS or Comcast?  It’s hard to believe that they can afford that much advertising. Of course, if you have a near monopoly, you can bleed all the suckers you’ve already hooked.

The Federal Communications Commission goes ballistic over a small breast being exposed for four seconds from 75 yards away. But the agency does nothing about escalating cable/Internet/phone costs.  I’d love to see the paper trail showing the role of lobbyist money in the switch to digital TV. That was a giant stimulus package for Verizon and Comcast. And I’m totally sick of the FiOS cable guy, Ben Stein and Shaq.

Great rant Jim.  The truth of the matter is that the cable mafia would LOVE if the FCC stepped in and limited their advertising the same way they did with the tobacco companies back in the 60s.  It would keep the playing field level and the executives could pocket all of the money they would save on advertising.

Keep it real & DVR through their commercials.  They have no way to overcome that technology (-;

July 22, 2009

Comcast Charges Extra for Tivo HD

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:19 am
On the TiVo Community Forum there is an entire thread that is growing by leaps and bounds on bogus charges by Comcast and how to read a Comcast bill.  It’s highly entertaining (and educational).  Here are a few gems from the thread: Here is the new gem they are charging me on my cable bill. [...]

On the TiVo Community Forum there is an entire thread that is growing by leaps and bounds on bogus charges by Comcast and how to read a Comcast bill.  It’s highly entertaining (and educational).  Here are a few gems from the thread:

Here is the new gem they are charging me on my cable bill.
- Digital Preferred with 1 Premium – $82.99
- DVR/HDTV Service – $15.95  (Price went up last month)
- Personal DVR Cablecard Pkg – $1.70 (relatively new charge)
- Digital Service Additional Outlet – $6.95 (he’s not sure what this is for)
- HD Monthly – Additional – $13.90 (This is the one that made me called them. Last month they told me it was a mistake, and this month they say that is the normal fee for having my own TIVO if I want to see HD channels.)
- Cutting the Cable…PRICELESS !!!!

It looks to me as though you’re getting off lightly here – you have three digital outlets (one for your Comcast DVR, one for your TiVo HD, and one for your additional TV). You should be paying two “additional outlet” fees.

In all their advertising, Comcast says no extra fees for HD. I don’t think this is a legitimate charge if OP is already paying for a digital tier of service.  But then again, Comcast billing is WILDLY variable from place to place. And finding a fee schedule online is practically impossible, which to me is criminal.

As you’ll quickly find out, Comcast charges differently in different areas.

Since I already pay for the HD channels on my primary HD/DVR from Comcast, I thought I didn’t have to pay for the HD service again.

No HD Monthly fee out here. I have heard of something similar in the past for rental of an HD capable set top box box (over and above a regular one). Distinguishing the two seems such an obsolete notion these days. But that fee definitely should not apply to your TiVo in any way.

I pay the additional outlet fee and the cable card fee. I don’t have an additional HD charge on my bill though and I receive all available HD channels (which isn’t much with Comcast here) because I have the digital starter package.

I have been on and off the phone with them all day.  Still they claim that the HD Monthly – Additional – $13.90 is accurate with some variations.  One custumer service agent told me that it should be $1.70 (for the card) + $6.95 ( for Digital Service Additional Outlet) + $6.95 (for HD Service) = $15.60 per month (by the way the monthly charge from Comcast for their HD/DVR is $15.95.  Another custumer service agent told me, after I pointed out to him the following quote from their own website “How does HD pricing work?  Comcast doesn’t charge additional programming fees for HD channels and content like satellite. If you receive the channel currently and the channel is available in HD all you need is an HD box.” …that it was correct that they are not charging me for the HD channel, just for the “service” of me being able to see the HD channels. He also explained to me that I would be charge this fee for each TiVo that I wanted to receive this HD Service.

I have a Tivo Series 3 with 2 cable cards. Comcast charges me an additional outlet fee, but no fee for HD.

In the three or so years I have been using cable cards in my TiVo, Comcast has charged me several different prices for a number of different “services”.  Every six to twelve months I would call back and ask them to explain the charges and each time it would result in a lower total bill. The last time I called the told me they had been over billing me and would give me a refund but they would only go back six months.

Reading through Comcast’s bills is like trying to deconstruct a hospital bill.

LOL, who needs the Comedy Channel?  We have Comcast to keep us all entertained!

July 17, 2009

An Unhappy Comcast Customer Sounds Off

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 1:43 pm
Here’s a gem of a letter written to Comcast by one of their subscribers, picked up from My3cents.com To whomever may care: [nice sarcasm, but the sad part is they really don't care] I feel that I pay enough to your company every month to not be charged a service fee when I have a [...]

Here’s a gem of a letter written to Comcast by one of their subscribers, picked up from My3cents.com

To whomever may care: [nice sarcasm, but the sad part is they really don't care]

I feel that I pay enough to your company every month to not be charged a service fee when I have a connection problem. Especially, since it was an issue caused by Comcast original hook up service. I have spent the better half of a year [a whole year?  And you still pay them?] trying to get Comcast internet connection. I was told time and time again that instead of coming out for a service call you would reset my IP address. Time and time again this did not work. I would spend another 20-30mins on hold for an operator to tell them resetting the IP address didn’t work for them to say it is an issue with my computer itself. With that advice I took my computer to PC Doctors and go figure it wasn’t my computer (more money wasted). When I did get an operator to set me up an appointment for someone to actually come to my house, they did not show. [Huh!  A Comcast tech didn't show?] I had to take off of work to wait on the cable guy because my appointment time was any where from 1:00 and 5:00. When I called around 3:00 to ask where they were I was told that they had already tried coming by my house and I was not home. SO NOT TRUE, as I stated before I had to take off work to sit at my house and wait on them. I was also told they tried calling my cell phone several times to inform me they were at my house, also not true. I had given Comcast 3 different cell phone numbers to reach me on and not one person tried calling from Comcast.  I then could not set up another appointment the next day because I could not take another day off work to wait on the cable guy to show up if he felt like it. Now with all of that said and hopefully getting a better understanding of where my frustration comes from I will get to the point of why I am unhappy with my bill.

I was charged $36 and some change for your cable guy to come to my house and tell me that who ever originally hooked up my internet did not hard wire it right. [you should have had him state that in writing]

Ok so when I called Comcast to provide my internet service they gladly came and hooked it up and started sending the bills. Once I had an issue it was impossible to get anyone to fix it and when I finally do, almost a year later, I am charged for re-wiring a faulty connection that was originally done by Comcast in the first place. I did call an agent and ask for the service fee to be taken off and was told that it is not Comcast’s problem. It is only Comcast’s problem if the faulty connection would have been outside of my house instead of inside. I could pay an additional $2.99 a month to have the service fee waived now and not be charged a service fee (for wiring connections) for any future problems. Now granted I am not a rocket scientist but I am not ignorant either, and I just can’t seem to make sense of this. I can not believe in today’s economy that you can afford to operate your business this away. [Why not?  You're about to answer your own question]

I didn’t write this letter just because I am losing out on a $36 charge but just for the simple fact that this is bad business. Not to mention that I also have my cable service through Comcast and it is usually hit or miss on the days it wants to work, and no, this isn’t an isolated issue. I have several friends and family that also use your service and they all tend to have the same issues. Cable box not working, guide won’t work that day, certain channels are freezing up, or internet won’t connect. [Question answered.  A lot of people just keep paying and paying, so why change anything] Not that it matters to your company but I will be shopping around for a new provider.  I know that customer service is not a priority for your company due to the fact this is America and we have a lot of potential consumers. So you lose one you will gain another, but one day I hope that all consumers will stand together against conglomerate corporate giants like yourself that provide little or no customer service to their clients once that client has signed on the dotted line. You take our hard earned money each month and provide mediocre service with no customer care. Maybe take some of that hard earned money your clients send you each month and invest in better equipment, employee training, and customer care. I know this letter will be viewed as a waste of my time for I have learned there is no one who cares within your company but it still makes me feel better to know I said and did what I can. I hope in the future people will voice their complaints more and something will be done. [There you go...WELL SAID!]

Thanks for your attention

You’ve got our attention.  Now there’s only one thing left to do…CUT-THE-CABLE!!!

July 1, 2009

Comcast Accused of Racism

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 1:07 pm
Jim Hayward of Ipswitch, MA complains that his family could not watch the Michael Jackson tribute on BET because Comcast doesn’t carry THAT station in their area.  Read all about it at SalemNews.com When I reached a representative, he said that BET is not offered in our area because “there is not enough demand.”  Comcast [...]

Jim Hayward of Ipswitch, MA complains that his family could not watch the Michael Jackson tribute on BET because Comcast doesn’t carry THAT station in their area.  Read all about it at SalemNews.com

When I reached a representative, he said that BET is not offered in our area because “there is not enough demand.”  Comcast apparently looked around and saw that there were not “enough” people of color on the North Shore, who must be the only viewers who would want to watch BET.

It wont be long before Comcast produces a spokesperson like Leroy Washington saying something like “Comcast is not racist, BET is racist.  Comcast does not wish to perpetuatize racism and infectuate those few remaning lilly white commuities with programming like ‘Night at the Apollo’.  BET should be ashamed.”

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